Accelerating TTC Capital Work during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Since the onset of the pandemic, TTC ridership has declined significantly. Our subway system has taken the greatest hit, retaining only 22% of pre-pandemic ridership. In order to make the best use of this challenging time, the TTC is proactively scheduling additional subway closures to accelerate capital work, including Automatic Train Control (ATC) installation and critical state-of-good-repair projects.

In December 2020, the TTC implemented an ambitious plan to speed up asbestos removal work on Line 1 – Yonge-University, with assistance from an external contractor. By closing the line from Finch to Sheppard Station, the TTC was able to achieve the amount of work that would typically take 2.5 years in only 10 days. Combined with additional early-access closures in the coming months, the TTC ultimately plans to accelerate the overall project schedule from 5-6 years to 3-4 months.

This asbestos abatement and tunnel upgrades project will help to facilitate the replacement of our 60 year-old block signalling system with the much-anticipated ATC signalling system. I know the residents of Ward-15 – Don Valley West are all-too-aware of the pre-pandemic capacity and reliability issues on Line 1. ATC will allow the TTC to reduce train headways and put additional trains in-service. The benefits are cumulative and will only be fully realized once the entire subway line is completed, but we are already seeing very encouraging improvements where ATC has been installed—from Vaughan Metropolitan Centre to Rosedale Station.

As Chair of the TTC, fostering a dynamic organizational culture that encourages innovation and creativity remains one of my top priorities. I am very proud of this project and the TTC staff who worked so hard to execute it in a very short timeframe. Thank you to our TTC riders for your patience and continued support.